- [Narrator] This is a production of PBS Charlotte.

(dramatic music) - Just ahead on "Carolina Impact", see how a local laundry products create environmental change.

Plus we introduce you to a woman transforming her love of jewelry into a thriving business.

And let's explore how an age-old game brings different generations together.

"Carolina Impact" starts right now.

(upbeat music) Good evening.

Thanks so much for joining us.

I'm Amy Burkett.

In today's throwaway culture, many products are used once then sent to a landfill.

With billions of people on the planet, that habit adds up quickly.

"Carolina Impact's" Jason Terzis shows us how one local company works to reduce waste.

- Well, over the years we have become a what do I need right now kind of culture.

A water bottle, a takeout container from a restaurant, a plastic cup, things we use in the moment when we need them, then immediately toss them away.

Traveling the world with the US military, the person we're about to introduce you to saw firsthand how bad things have gotten in terms of plastics and landfills and all the sorts and mess out there.

And he went ahead and made it his life's mission to do something about it.

Even going swimming with the sharks.

- [Emcee] First in the tank is an environmentally minded innovation in laundry care.

- [Jason] January, 2022.

"Shark Tank", season 13, featuring a little local flare.

- Hello Sharks.

I'm Chris.

- And I'm also Chris.

We're the founders of Sheets Laundry Club from Mooresville, North Carolina and we're seeking $500,000 for 5% of our company.

- Filled out a massive application.

Thought man, what the heck?

It's worth a shot.

- [Jason] Entrepreneur Chris Videau going swimming with the sharks.

- Get selected, which is a feat in itself.

My understanding is it's less than 200 for every 50,000 applicants.

- [Jason] Chris and his then partner Chris pitching their new company to the Sharks.

- Sharks, in my 20 years in the US Army flying helicopters, I was able to get a bird's eye view of the world's plastic crisis.

I was shocked by the way other countries were disposing of plastic.

So all of that trash, anything and everything you can imagine trash wise that we would throw in a trashcan here gets put into a burn pit there and they burned 24/7.

Eventually you find out that likely the dioxins that were in a lot of that plastic that was being burned on a daily basis and translated to permanent lung damage.

- [Jason] Chris's plan after retiring from the Army was to become an emergency medical services pilot.

- And then come to find out the damage in my lungs, I can't qualify for a flight physical going forward.

So six months from retirement, got a 3-year-old and a wife and it's like what am I gonna do to support my family?

- [Jason] Chris's wife, Laurian also served her country.

- I worked both explosive and narcotic detection dogs.

I worked with the Secret Service and did a lot of sweeps for the president, vice president - [Jason] Like Chris, Laurian was raised in California and raised to be aware of the environment.

- Weekends always spent out on the beach picking up trash and just making sure the beach was clean.

That's kind of how I was raised.

- [Jason] Wanting to create something that would allow for a more sustainable future, Chris had an idea, create a laundry detergent that works just as well as the big name brands but without the bulky plastic containers.

- I think in the US alone about 900 million plastic detergent jugs wind up in our landfills.

So really researched it.

Researched the the plastic aspect of it and then kind of come up with the, we came up with the concept of sheets because we could then package it in a box.

- That's when sheets kind of came about 'cause we're like, you know, we need to make something that we can make a difference.

- But you know, the better part of 12 months testing with the contract manufacturers, working with a chemist here to kind of change formulations to develop a product that actually worked.

It's lightweight, it's mess free, it's easy to use and best of all, it's 100% plastic free from start to finish.

- You very simply take one sheet of detergent and you toss it in with your dirty laundry.

- [Jason] They created sheets in 2019, three years later getting the opportunity to pitch it for further investment on "Shark Tank".

- And as soon as it hits the cold water, it begins to dissolve.

Now once you've done that, go ahead, grab your lid and we're going to shake it for a few seconds.

(intense music) Abracadabra.

- Bubbles.

- We have turned your detergent sheet- Wow.

- Into- - That's great.

- The response that we got from "Shark Tank" itself, it was just amazing.

- Sharks, it's obvious we care about the planet, so- - [Both Together] Which one of you wants to get it hooked on creating a plastic free tomorrow?

- It really took us from, you know, down here and it put us up here overnight.

I will give you 500,000 bucks for 10% of the company.

- Alright, we're ready.

- Decision made, we'll do it.

Thank you.

Appreciate it.

Thank you Daniel.

- Thank you so much.

- We appreciate it.

- We're so excited.

- Congratulations guys.

Well done.

- Thank you.

- Good luck guys.

- [Jason] They left the show with a deal in place, but after the cameras stopped rolling and they got down to real business, the deal fizzled out.

- And unfortunately it just didn't work out there.

The terms that Daniel was comfortable with and we were comfortable with weren't aligned.

- [Jason] Chris's "Shark Tank" partner, Chris, left the company.

Laurian then became co-owner and together they've been building the business.

- It's a hard industry to penetrate, right?

And it's, and it's a hard product to market.

So laundry detergent's not exciting.

It's not fun.

Nine outta 10 people you'll talk to, they're buying the same detergent their parents bought.

The lab is Theo, the silver and, or silver and tan.

The lilac and tan I guess is Goose and the Black and Tan is Maverick.

- [Jason] Along with their dogs and nine employees, they run the Mooresville offices and warehouse and they'll soon be opening a new production facility in Statesville.

- So the guys here in the morning, every day they start out by packing online orders.

So every day they're in here fulfilling orders that were placed within the last 24 hours.

- So what you're seeing here that's being filled, those are all of our online orders for subscriptions, one-time purchases all directly from our website - [Jason] With in-store contracts with Harris Teeter in the Carolinas and Meyer in the upper Midwest, Sheets' products are on the shelves in 1,800 stores worldwide with 75,000 loyal customers.

- If someone had asked me five years ago that Sheets laundry Club would be doing the good and has gotten as big as it was, I probably would've just laughed at you.

I believed in the concept.

I believed in getting rid of plastic.

I just never thought it would take off this big.

- So whether a consumer actually understands the plastic crisis that's occurring within the world or not, when they support the brands that are plastic free such as ourselves that don't require, you know, more money or instructions on how to use it's actually easier to use than a liquid detergent.

We're still winning at the end of the day because it's one less jug making it to the oceans and landfills - [Jason] Making a difference as small as it may be, one plastic bottle at a time.

- Okay, so I brought you this story idea.

- Yeah> - Because I saw it on "Shark Tank".

- Yeah.

- Talk to me about how much impact this group has made.

- Well, they've been around for about six years.

They started right as the pandemic was getting going, but since then they've really kind of taken off.

And by Chris's measurement, the Sheets paper products have so far saved about 2.7 million plastic containers from reaching landfills.

It's a lot, but merely a drop in the bucket as far as worldwide consumption of plastics.

He's just trying to do something about it.

So he's making his mark as is his wife.

But you know, really trying to send a message like we as a society and as a global economy, we need to do better.

- Absolutely.

And one person can make a big difference.

Thanks for sharing his story.

- Absolutely.

- Well, from rethinking the future to reliving the past, our next story takes us back to a time when arcades were the place to be.

The lights, the sounds, the clack of a pinball machine, for many it's pure '80's magic.

That was my decade.

And here in our region that nostalgia isn't just a memory, it's a movement with a local women's pinball league and wall to wall classic games.

The golden age of arcades is very much alive.

"Carolina Impact's" Chris Clark takes us there.

(upbeat music) - [Chris] Before smartphones.

- Absolutely love this place - [Chris] Before streaming.

- Bring back a lot of memories.

- Chris] Before scrolling.

- It's more fun than I could have ever imagined.

- Chris]There were places like this.

(game chiming) For some, the arcade was a memory.

For James, it was something he never forgot.

- I think I was like six years-old in 1980 and I spent a lot of time watching other people play 'cause I didn't have the quarters to play.

It was a treat if I got to play.

- [Chris] He remembers what it felt like to stand and stare.

Years later, after a career as a software consultant, he decided to build an arcade he once watched from the sidelines.

- I took a trip to Myrtle Beach and they had a museum type thing down there where they were offering an hour of play for $10.

That really wasn't that great of a deal.

And I thought, well I could do the same thing, charge $15 and let them play all day.

- [Chris] Oh, it was a leap.

And not just for him.

- He said, you know, would, would you be scared?

What do you think about it?

And I thought it was the best idea ever.

I said, you've gotta chase your dreams.

- [Chris] It wasn't just nostalgia, it was risk.

- It is scary and I feel like we are the type of people, we're very hardworking.

If this didn't, you know, make it, we would have, we would be hardworking.

We would find a different way - [Chris] To make, but just in case it tilts.

- And I have a full-time job as well.

- [Chris] What they built is now known as the Classic Arcade and Pinball Museum.

- All of our kind of standard standup arcades down the middle of the place.

We try to keep certain things kind of grouped together.

Like I have all my standup driving games over here and in the back we have all of our sit down driving games and flying games, games.

- [Chris] The games draw you in, but it's the energy inside these walls that keeps people playing.

Something 15-year-old Ayden already understands.

- It's fun because the mood and the vibe is just so exhilarating and fun.

- [Chris] For many, that feeling doesn't stay in the moment.

It takes them back to one.

- It brings back times when we were together, when we were younger.

I grew up in college, I played these when these when I was younger, 12 or 13.

- [Chris] The memories may open the door, but the atmosphere is what makes families feel at home.

- So people love that we're very safe, we're very family orientated.

They feel safe that they can drop off their children here.

We make sure there are not, there's nothing funny going on.

- For James, the magic is in the mechanics, the levers, the wheels, the things your hands can't forget.

- They're like things that are kind of unique and can't play on a home system.

And anything with a unique control is something we look for.

- [Chris] Keeping the past alive takes work.

Under the glass and bright artwork, there's a system of gears and wires and steel that keeps these things going.

- Luckily, the ones that I, that I purchased only had minor issues, like one thing wrong or two things wrong.

Like if it was a whole bunch of stuff wrong, like I don't know, - [Chris] Ask anyone their favorite game and the answers come fast.

- My favorite machine in here is probably "Dr.

No.".

(dramatic music) - Yes, "Dr.

No".

- Don't forget to write.

- I like the "Star Wars".

- Impressive.

- "Star Trek".

- Live long and prosper.

- [Chris] Different generations, but one game at the center of it all.

(pinball chiming) Pinball isn't fading away, it's evolving.

About 30 miles east, The Silver Ball is keeping score.

- This is an IFPA tournament, which is International Flippers Pinball Association.

So we submit our scores and then they have state championships.

Like Amy, she just came in fourth place in the women's state championships.

- [Chris] But what makes this night different isn't just the rankings, - It just feels sometimes there's something different about it.

- [Chris] This is the Concord chapter of Bells and Chimes, a women's pinball league.

- They started in Oakland, California in 2013, and then from there they have chapters across all of the us.

They have chapters worldwide - For players like Pants Haidar, pinball was never just nostalgia.

- My parents had like restaurants and malls that had arcades and the arcades had pinball machines.

So I was playing pinball like at a really young age and I've always loved it.

- [Chris] Here the goal isn't just remembering the past, it's getting better.

- You get that social vibe and the comradery and you get competitiveness and you can learn with and from each other, which is cool.

- [Chris] From a family arcade in Gastonia, to league nights in Concord, pinball is doing what it's always done, bringing people together around the game that demands patience, skill, and just a little bit of luck.

The technology may have changed, but the reason people gather around these machines hasn't.

- It's just nice to have people come together and have the camaraderie and stuff like that.

- The world may move faster now, but inside these walls the rhythm hasn't changed.

And as long as someone is willing to pull back the plunger, the game goes on.

For "Carolina Impact", I'm Chris Clark.

- Thank you Chris.

Boy that took me back.

In every flashing light and Clattering flipper, this story reminds us that the best memories aren't always behind us.

They're often ready for another play.

Whether it's reviving classic games or building something from scratch, passion has a way of bringing people together and pushing them forward.

Many people dream of starting their own business, turning a passion into a paycheck.

But too often the obstacles feel bigger than the opportunity.

For one local woman with decades of corporate experience, the question became simple.

If not now, when?

"Carolina impact's" John Branscum introduces us to Caterina Thorne and shows us how she transformed a creative hobby into a thriving custom jewelry business.

(upbeat music) - [John] Every day millions of Americans go to work.

It could be to a construction site, a restaurant, or even an office in uptown Charlotte.

After all, we all have bills to pay.

But for Katina Thorne who works in product development for a betting company, her daily commute, it's a bit shorter.

- [Caterina] We have a very flexible schedule.

I work from home.

- [John] It's a work environment that comes with some advantages.

- Just makes it easier for me to be able to balance my professional life with my hobbies and my family and my puppies.

- [John] So when the workday ends Caterina, her husband Parish and the dogs all head out the door for a bit of fresh air.

- I love spending time with the dogs.

- The couple met while Caterina, who's originally from Columbia, was in the United States attending college and they've been together ever since.

Besides spending time with her family and pets, Caterina also has a creative side, according to her longtime friend Anne Ranson.

- You know, there was a point in time where she was doing needle point and there was a point in time where she was refinishing and painting furniture.

- [John] But there was a problem.

- I've had so many different crafts in my life.

This house is like full of crafts and things that I've done and they just ended up in boxes - [John] And just around the corner was yet another craft.

One she discovered while visiting family back in her home country of Columbia.

- I saw this fabulous bracelet and I fell in love with it and I bought it.

I took it home.

I started looking at it and I was like, my God, this is just tiny little beads put together and I was determined to figure out how to do it.

- [John] With the help from friends and a lot of online tutorials, she began making her own jewelry.

- I found this craft that it's with Miyuki beads, and you can make bracelets, you can make earrings, necklaces, anything that you want to do.

- [John] She imports the glass beads from Japan.

- They're like two millimeters.

They're tiny.

- Every single piece of jewelry Caterina makes, it starts right here with a pattern.

- And I start just coloring in the little squares with my pencils and my colors and try to come up with a pattern.

Then I take a thread and needle and I basically just sit there and pick each little individual bead with the needle and thread it through and follow my little grid or pattern.

And that's how it goes.

- [John] Now, unlike those other hobbies that ultimately faded away.

- When I started making the beaded jewelry, I committed myself to doing something about it.

- [John] What she did about it was start a side hustle.

- So I came up with my logo and with the brand.

My brand is CGT Handmade Jewelry and that stands for Caterina G Thorne.

- [John] Initially she found customers through her family connections and network of friends, - She designed a bracelet to go with the outfit that I wore to my daughter's college graduation.

So that was very special.

Then she has since designed a bracelet and a ring for a dress I found up in Blowing Rock.

Valentine's Day, my daughter's senior year in college, I had Cathy make two heart bracelets, one with red hearts and one with peak hearts that we sent to them in college.

- I'm also in Cotswold Marketplace.

My mother-in-law has a retail space there and she's been grateful enough to let me put my jewelry there.

(upbeat music) - But in order to reach an even broader audience and turn her new passion into a growing business, Caterina sells at various weekend markets and places like the Landing Market in Matthews, and.

- This is Nodahood Market, just a quarterly vendor market and arts festival we like to put on.

We have a lot of artists that are looking for a way to get out there and we like to just provide that space and you know, make it accessible and easy for them to get into so they can come out and show what they do.

- [John] For Caterina and vendors like Greg Janiak who's selling his own line of barbecue sauce, this style of market is essential.

- They're huge.

That's what I started with.

They know the crowd that'll bring in and it helps them, but it also is huge for us.

You know, it's just basically one small business that's already somewhat developed, helping out tons of other ones.

- [John] Markets like these can turn entrepreneurial dreams into reality.

- We see a lot of food trucks and popups that we have come through here end up going into semi-permanent or even permanent spaces.

- [John] Now Caterina says having a side hustle isn't without sacrifice.

- Let's say my best selling bracelet is $38, which doesn't include my time, but I just wanna make people happy.

- [John] For her customers, her jewelry does more than accessorize.

- I have taken a couple of outfits to Cathy and she has designed bracelets and rings specifically for those outfits.

And so when I put them on, I feel complete and pulled together.

- And for Caterina.

- It brings me calm, it brings me joy.

- For "Carolina Impact", I'm John Branscum.

- Thank you John.

The best way to find out which popup market Caterina will be at next is to follow her on Instagram.

We've got the information on our website at pbscharlotte.org.

We've shared stories tonight about people building businesses, reviving traditions, and bringing communities together.

Our final story shows yet another way connection is happening right here in our region.

It's a game that's been around for centuries, filled with strategy, skill and a little bit of luck.

And now Mahjong is experiencing a surge in popularity, especially here in the Charlotte Metro.

Once stereotyped as a pastime for seniors, the game is now drawing players of all ages.

Carolina impacts Dara Khaalid, along with videographers, John Branscum and Russ Hunsinger.

Show us how this classic game is building community one tile at a time.

- [Dara] It's Tuesday night, which means it's time for some Mahjong.

But first, the space at Triple C Brewing Company in Charlotte, that's typically used for sipping ice cold beers must be flipped into a game room.

- We have anywhere from four to five to six tables.

- [Dara] Julia Harker, co-owner of the brewery and instructor of the Mahjong classes here, maneuvers throughout the space, rearranging tables and laying out the game components like these colorfully designed mats, wooden wraps and tiles that are sure to catch your eye, either by their sheer pink beauty or the intricate Chinese characters etched on them.

- [Julia] The beautiful tiles, like it is very aesthetically pleasing.

- [Dara] Once the space is set.

- So tonight we're gonna be learning American Mahjong.

- [Dara] Class is in session - Similar to like a card game.

The tiles just represent kind of like different cards, fun, they're laid back.

It's really easygoing.

I try to like make it interactive so people feel comfortable asking questions and there's a lot of laughter.

That's the bam, like bamboo.

- [Dara] Throughout the two hour class, Julia goes into full-on teacher mode.

- So the different suits in the tiles are gonna be three different suits.

- [Dara] Using a PowerPoint to go over the basics.

Then when it's time for students to try on their own, she's there to help along the way.

- She has been really good at answering all my questions and very informative and easy to understand as well.

- [Dara] Which really comes in handy because Mahjong is notoriously known for being a challenge.

- Yes, intimidating is definitely the right word.

- At first, it overwhelmed me, but it makes me think.

- [Dara] The tile game began in China during the 19th century and has since spread across the world, including right here in the US where we've adapted our own version, calling it American Mahjong.

- There's some different rules and some different tiles that are involved in the American Mahjong.

It's similar to rummy in that you're like making runs.

[Dara] If that's still confusing, here's another way to explain it.

At the beginning you deal kind of like you would with cards and then everybody gets a mixture of tiles and then you start to kind of figure out what run you wanna do.

And by discarding and drawing and trading and things like that.

- [Dara] The goal is to be the first one in your group of four to match 14 tile to a single hand.

You do this using the Mahjong card.

Sound simple enough?

Well.

- It's a lot more difficult than I originally anticipated, but it's really fun and I'm having a good time, - [Dara] Which Julia says is the whole point, for students to enjoy themselves, not just by playing the game, but by interacting with everyone.

- But it's a really good way for us all to get together and enjoy.

I love this group.

- [Dara] You are probably familiar with the game's reputation.

- My grandma, back in the day, she loved this game.

- You know, it probably has a rap as being an old lady game.

- [Dara] But there's a much wider demographic here, from men to women of all ages.

It's turned into a multi-generational game.

- You might see people in their 20's that live in the apartment complexes around here, but you also might see older women and adults like in their 60's playing.

I've even taught my kids how to play.

- [Dara] For Beth Gutt who's been coming here since November, she's seen how the mix of ages leads to new perspectives.

- Multi-generational life is so important and you know, so many times we put people in pockets.

You know, you're a senior, you're a mom and I think that we all have so much to give.

- All you have to do is Google it once and see how popular it is.

It seems to be sweeping the nation.

I see coffee shops doing it, other breweries doing it.

Custom home builders are even building Mahjong rooms into the houses now 'cause they know it's a amenity people are looking for.

- [Dara] Julia's husband Chris, president and co-owner of the brewery Happily welcome the idea of not only hosting classes, but also hosting open play.

- It's been amazing.

You know, on Tuesdays when she's doing this, I hustle home to be with the children and she hustles up here to kind of trade roles with me and she's having fun and it's, you know, making the brewery money.

So that's very hard to argue with.

- [Dara] What began as a simple love of the game has turned into something much bigger for Julia.

It's a table where generations pull up chairs, share a brew, and learn from one another.

In the click of the tiles and the hum of conversation Mahjong becomes more than a game, it's a bridge.

Proving connection doesn't depend on age, just the willingness to sit down and play together.

For "Carolina Impact", I'm Dara Khaalid.

- Before we head out this evening, I wanna thank the United Faith Christian Academy in Charlotte for bringing some great high school students here to be a part of our studio audience.

They were amazing and we just love inviting the community into their public television station.

Well, thanks so much for joining us.

That's all the time we have.

We always appreciate your time and look forward to seeing you back here again next time on "Carolina Impact".

Good night, my friends.

(upbeat music) - [Narrator] A production of PBS Charlotte.

(bright music)